Drastic Measures
by penless
Summary: A bust gone bad leaves Danny floundering in guilt. Steve and the team can only try and pull him out of it before he self-destructs. Meanwhile, they have an arms dealer to catch before things really hit the fan. Team fic. No slash. Rated M to be safe. ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

Kono bursts through Five-O headquarters' doors like an unstoppable force, dread coiling cold and heavy in the pit of her stomach. She had spoken with Chin on her cell prior to heading over and although he'd remained as stoic as ever, she had already gotten wind that something had gone very wrong during the bust. She'd caught a glimpse of conversation amongst the team she had positioned around the location of the takedown, overheard snatches of words as she was cuffing the suspect they'd caught fleeing the scene. All her cousin would tell her over the phone was to come straight back and to step on it, and that was exactly what she'd done, refusing to hear any further details from anyone. Whatever had happened, she wanted to hear it from her cousin and no one else.

_Please, let everyone be okay._

Stepping through the threshold, the atmosphere is equal parts stifling and charged, thick with smothering tension. Her cousin Chin is standing before the computer interface, fingers roaming quick and sure across the illuminated surface. Although he's projecting his usual air of reassuring calm, his shoulders are rigid. It's as sure a sign as anything that all is not well, and it doesn't take a badge to figure out why.

Through the glass walls of Steve McGarrett's office it can plainly be seen that he and Danny Williams are arguing, and that something is terribly amiss. It's not the usual parry between the partners to which Kono and Chin are normally accustomed. There is no give and take, no equal portions of volleys and returns. The confrontation is clearly one-sided, with Steve's back against the wall. Danny is red- faced and livid while the Lieutenant Commander's hands are spread wide and supplicating in front of him in a gesture of submission but the detective isn't backing down. Danny has drawn himself up to his full height and is still having to look up into Steve's face as he yells, but that makes him no less imposing. By the look on Steve's face, Kono can clearly see that he is just as taken back as she to see Danny this way. The detective is volatile, absolutely, but this is more than the usual quick-temperedness and inherent snark. Much more.

"Chin, what's going on?" Kono asks, standing beside her cousin. Chin had been trying his best to keep his eyes on his work, but from the way he keeps stealing quick glances at the scene playing out through the glass it is only too obvious that he's working under extreme distraction.

Chin shakes his head with a sigh. "Are you sure you want to know?" he asks with regret in his voice. He doesn't even need to see her arch an eyebrow to continue. Of course the question had been rhetorical, and of course she had to be informed, but he doesn't have to like it. Ohana is ohana, he reflects wryly. The job could never change that, and so he gets a free pass on hating sharing this part of the workload with her. His gaze returns to Danny, who is visibly vibrating with anger. His hands are gesticulating wildly, clenching, pointing, and jabbing both at himself and his partner, but mostly at himself. Steve looks to still be at a loss, his mouth opening and closing periodically through the rant but apparently unable to get a word in. The thick glass muffles Danny's words, but the sheer volume of his shouts leak through and their vehemence is not lost on Kono. Whatever this is, it's bad.

Chin's mouth tightens, but he reluctantly turns to his cousin. "The bust went bad; I'm guessing you already heard," he tells his rookie cousin gently. His hand spreads flat against the screen, ceasing its activity. "Mahelona had his entourage at the house and we had to split up to keep eyes on them. Danny tailed one of the suspects through the back of the house while Steve took down two guards at the east entrance, and I covered the front." Chin's eyes stray over to Steve's office again, and Kono's gaze follows.

Danny has suddenly gone quiet and now Steve is finally talking, one hand slowly and steadily reaching for the detective's shoulder. Danny allows it, but his posture remains stiff. Whatever Steve is saying doesn't ease the expression on his partner's face, either. Danny's gone from incensed to withered. He looks hollowed out and achingly weary. When one hand lifts to rub a temple and subtly cover his eyes, Kono finds herself looking away, feeling as though she's intruding on a private moment. Chin clears his throat and continues, breaking the awkward pause.

"One of Mahelona's guys managed to slip in behind Danny and follow him into the house. When we heard the shot, Steve and I entered the house. Mahelona and the buyer, Kamaka, were in there but they escaped during the firefight."

"What about the shot you heard? What happened to Danny?"

"Danny was the one who fired the shot; he realized he was being followed before the guy got the drop on him. After Danny took him down he chased after Mahelona. There was a car in the alley waiting for him, and they opened fire on Danny. We couldn't get to Danny in time to give him any cover. They had him pinned behind a delivery truck. There was nothing he could have done, cuz."

"Chin, what are you saying?"

Chin's eyes are downcast, and as though on cue Steve's arm makes its way completely around Danny's shoulders. The detective's head is bent, face hidden behind his hands. Kono feels her eyes prick in response.

When Chin speaks again, his voice is soft and careful. "No one saw the little girl until she was right there. She just came out of nowhere. Her mother was screaming after her. She ran out in between Danny and the car -" Chin cuts himself off. He can see it too clearly, the memory too fresh, the blood too livid. He remembers coming around the corner after exiting the house with Steve, both of them in desperate pursuit to get to their vulnerable partner. Chin remembers the little girl's pigtails streaming behind her and Danny yelling, standing up and waving his arms frantically despite the bullets flying all around him. He can still hear the echo of that final gunshot splitting the air and the stunned, heavy silence when the girl went down, blood already matting her hair. He recalls the sound of tires squealing as Mahelona's car sped away, the girl's mother in hysterics. Most of all, he can still see Danny, standing frozen in shock, gun slipping from his lax fingers, eyes on the crumpled, dead child not ten feet in front of him -

Chin stops himself, pulling out of his reverie and giving his head a quick shake. "The bullet was meant for Danny. They shot the little girl right in front of him, just out of his reach." He rubs his mouth for a moment before murmuring, "I guess it goes without saying we lost both Mahelona and Kamaka."

Kono lifts a hand to her mouth, blinking back betraying tears. "Oh God," she breathes shakily. "Is Danny okay?" She shakes her head distractedly. "What am I saying? Of course he's not." Her eyes fill with tears again. Chin's expression is sympathetic; he clasps her shoulder and bends his forehead to hers briefly. A couple quick breaths and Kono pulls herself together, straightening herself and willing herself to take control of her emotions. Now is not the time for crying. She scrubs at her eyes briefly with the side of her hand, sniffing once and clearing the lump from her throat. When she speaks next, her voice is even and steady.

"What was the girl's name? How old was she?"

Chin risks another quick glance in the direction of Steve's office before answering. "Ewa Kaloke, six years old. Her mother's name is Ailani Kaloke. They-"

Chin is suddenly cut off by the sound of Danny's voice. He and Kono look up to see the detective striding across the floor.

"Leave it alone, Steve," Danny growls as he walks away from McGarrett, leaving his partner in the doorway to his office, face struggling with restrained emotion.

"Danny-" the Lieutenant Commander begins.

Danny holds up a finger in warning but doesn't turn around. Instead, he quickens his pace and brushes past Chin and Kono without giving the cousins so much as a second glance. He's missing his tie, and there are blood splatters dotting the front of his shirt. His face is haunted and wan.

_They shot the little girl right in front of him, just out of his reach. _Kono represses a shudder, remembering Chin's words.

"Don't, Steve," Williams grates. "Just, don't."

With that, the detective throws the doors to headquarters open, stalks through and is gone, leaving the team in quiet bafflement.

Steve sighs quietly and approaches the cousins, nodding at Kono in acknowledgement. "Good work out there with your takedown, Kono," he greets, trying for a small smile that doesn't quite work. His face is dark and shuttered, obviously disturbed and worried for his partner.

Kono nods in return, too heartsick to even try to smile back. "How's Danny?" She asks softly. Steve's face dims further and he shrugs, sighing.

"Angry," he says simply, voice low. "He blames himself. I offered him some time off. I thought maybe he would want to see Grace." His eyes move to where Danny made his exit. "He didn't take me up on my offer."

"Clearly," Chin observes. "Do you think he's okay to be on his own right now, brah?"

"Absolutely not." Steve sounds dead certain. "But I don't think he's going to have it any other way, and I know better than to push it."

"You could be right about that," Kelly agrees reluctantly.

"That's why I'm not even going to ask," the Lieutenant Commander finishes flatly, and strides away after his partner.

* * *

><p>Danny groans when he hears knocking on his door and undrapes the arm thrown over his eyes. He looks up from his sprawl on his pull out bed, glaring at his door.<p>

"What do you want, Steven?" he asks, letting his annoyance bleed into his tone.

There's a short pause, followed by a subdued, "How did you know it was me?"

"Because you're the only one daft enough to come by unannounced, especially since I thought I had made it adequately clear by my storming out that I was not in the mood to entertain houseguests." All the same, Danny pulls himself up off the bed with a muted groan.

"Yeah, I got that. Calling me an asshole leaves little room for misinterpretation."

Danny throws the door open and leans against it as he squints at Steve. His head is pounding. "And yet, here you are," he says, one hand gesturing at McGarrett standing on his lanai.

Steve looks slightly chagrinned. He holds up his hands, clutching a six-pack and a paper bag. "I've brought peace offerings," he tells his partner, who is still eyeing him warily. "Beer and malasadas."

"You mean, bribes for permission to gain entry to my residence?" Danny twists his mouth into a frown and scratches above one eyebrow, contemplating Steve. McGarrett shrugs, waiting expectantly, and Danny snorts. "Fine, permission granted. That beer better be cold." He turns around and shuffles back to his bed, putting it away and converting it back to a couch. Accepting a proffered beer from Steve, he sits down and cracks it open.

Steve also takes a seat, taking a cautious drink from his own beer in hand, watching as Danny grabs the remote and turns the tv on, flicking through channels disinterestedly. After a few minutes of uneasy silence, Danny finally puts the remote down with a sigh, turning to Steve.

"Look, Steven," he begins, setting the beer down so he is free to gesture with his hands unimpeded. "I know you're here out of concern for me. You're worried that I'm on the cusp of some big emotional breakdown or whatever. But. I'm. Fine." He pauses for emphasis. "I'm fine, got it? Today was the worst day of my entire career as a cop, yes, but we all got through it. I'm just glad you and Chin didn't get killed because of my stupidity."

Steve's hackles are up instantly at the blatant self blame and reproach.

"Danny, like I told you before, there was nothing you could do. None of us saw her until it was too late."

"Christ, Steven, you don't think I already know that?" Danny snaps. "But it doesn't change the fact that I fired first, back in the house. Maybe if I'd thought a little quicker on my feet I wouldn't have needed to shoot. Maybe I wouldn't have had to blow our cover and we wouldn't currently be empty handed and none of this would have happened. Maybe that little girl would be at home right now, safe and alive." He picks up his beer again, takes a pull.

"We're not completely at a loss here, Danno," Steve corrects his partner. "Kono arrested one of Kamaka's men. Name's Kekoa Kali. Chin's interrogating him right now. If the suspect has any knowledge where Mahelona's hiding out, he'll get it out of him."

"I hope you're right about that." Danny says, and falls silent again. Steve finds it disconcerting to see his partner so short on words.

"You sure you're okay?" McGarrett asks skeptically, giving his partner another searching look, his eyes sweeping up and down. "I meant what I said earlier. If you want to take some time off to, you know, process…"

Danny shakes his head, incredulous. "You're like a dog with a friggin' bone, you know that?" He stands up and runs his hands through his hair, pacing his small living room in tense strides. After a few passes, he stops in front of Steve, hands flying erratically as he speaks, voice rising with exasperation. "I don't know what I have to do to convince you. Would it make you feel better if I swore on the Bible when I tell you that I'm fine? Stop treating me like a victim, and stop trying to get me off this case!"

Steve frowns, sensing that they are getting to the heart of Danny's disgruntlement. "Is this about my offering you a leave?" He throws his own hands up in the air. "Danny, that was not me trying to get you off this case. It's not, okay? I just thought you might want to take some down time."

"And what makes you think that?" Danny snarls, and before Steve knows what he is even doing he's surged to his feet, standing over his agitated partner.

"Because you saw a child get gunned down right in front of you, Danny!" he shouts, unable to help himself. "Is that what you want me to say? Because correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd call that a pretty traumatic experience! You must think I'm pretty stupid if you actually believe for one second that I shouldn't be worried about you after something like that." He tries to grab Danny by his shoulders, but his partner twists away and lifts up an arm to intercept his reaching hands.

"Goddammit, this is exactly what I'm talking about," Danny's voice is pitched low and rough, and Steve knows that tone. He's said it before: Danny has a tone, and this is definitely it. It means that a line has been crossed, and Steve needs to choose his next words carefully. He takes a step back, gives Williams the space that he needs to breathe, the Commander's expression is still unfalteringly intense. He's knows that Danny isn't backing down on this, either, so he keeps his voice hard.

"What do you want me to do, Danny?" Straight to the point, because there's no sense in much else anymore: The words "Danny" and "verbose" are practically synonymous but right now Steve's partner is choosing words with a definite economy, and this sets off big, flashing warning signs in his head.

There's a short pause from Williams before he turns around and strides to the door. Opening it, he turns and gives Steve a pointed look, making a sweeping motion to outside.

"I want you to leave, Steven, if you don't mind." Danny's face is stony, and Steve is a little stunned at how quickly the conversation has gone from bad to worse.

Outside, as the Lieutenant Commander is turning the key in his ignition, he lets out a frustrated exhale.

That didn't go nearly as well as he'd hoped.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi, again! Thanks so much for continuing to read. I really hope that you enjoy this chapter. I made some adjustments to the first chapter since I've posted it. One of the hazards of not having a beta is finding myself subject to my neuroticism. They weren't major changes and there is no need to go back and reread, but these minor fixes help me fall asleep at night.

Anyway, this chapter is short (like the last one), and there is a decided lack of action in it. That will change, I promise. Also, the chapters will lengthen up. I hope that's okay with everyone. As always, I welcome feedback and would be incredibly happy to hear your thoughts! Thanks again!

Disclaimer: Not mine. Sigh.

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><p><strong>Six Weeks Later<strong>

"She's got a point, Danny," Chin laughs while he crosses his arms and leans back in the booth, easy and good-natured. Across the table, Kono smiles into the bottom of her pint glass. Danny rolls his eyes at them both and throws his hands up in the air hopelessly.

"No, Chin, she does not have a point. And I don't care how much the two of you gang up on me. My mind is unchangeable on the subject. Baseball? Sport. Basketball? Sport. Football? _Definitely _a sport. But golf? No way. Of all the physical activities that I can think of, golf is so way down the list of what can be plausibly called a sport that I'd need glasses to see it."

"I think about twenty or thirty million spectators would disagree with you on that, brah," Chin tells Danny, amused, as he lifts his beer bottle to his lips.

The detective shakes his head and makes an adamant chopping motion with one hand. "I'm sorry, but tapping miniature balls into holes in the ground and riding around in carts wearing Dockers is all so far removed from a sport-like event that it doesn't even register. I just can't do it; I can't call it a sport."

"So what would you call it, then?" Kono challenges, exchanging knowing looks with her cousin; Danny's just winding up.

"What would I call it?" the detective asks, eyebrows raised. He holds up a hand and starts ticking off every point he makes. "I'd call it a game, a hobby, a recreation, a pastime, or maybe a diversion. Hell, I'd even call it a good way to kill an afternoon while knocking back a few beers. But a sport? Never. If there's no risk of endangering life or limb then I'm sorry, it doesn't make the cut. Don't get me wrong; I've played golf, and it's not that I don't _like _it. I just don't delude myself as to what it is. Or is not, for that matter."

"So sports have to be dangerous to be classified a sport?" Chin doesn't even bother to muffle his chuckle.

Danny nods, undeterred by his teammates' dubiousness. "Or violent," he clarifies. "Absolutely. One hundred percent."

"So what about pool?" Kono cuts in. " Isn't that a sport?"

"Sorry, sweetheart."

"How about tennis, badminton, or curling?" Chin asks. Danny snorts.

"I'm surprised you've even heard of curling on this hellhole of an island," the detective tells his teammate, downing the last of his beer. He stands up and reaches for his wallet in his back pocket. "I'll let you wrap your head around that while I get the next round."

"Hey, thanks Danno. That'd be great," a familiar voice says, approaching from behind Danny and clapping him on the back. The detective shakes his head and Steve slides into the booth with a friendly nod at Chin and Kono.

"Perfect timing, as usual," the detective gripes without any real heat. "It goes against the McGarrett credo to miss out on free beer."

"Actually, make it a mai tai, please. And Danny? Golf is most definitely a sport, requiring massive amounts of concentration and discipline."

"Coming from the man who wouldn't know discipline if it jumped up and bit him on the ass," Danny retorts as he turns and heads for the bar. "I'll make sure the bartender makes your drink extra girly."

Steve watches Danny stalk away, smiling to himself. It's good to see Danny out and about, in his usual fine form. Judging from the relaxed postures of his lieutenant and officer it would appear his team feels the same way.

"So, Steve," Chin says, pulling McGarrett out of his thoughts. "How did the meeting with the Governor go?"

"Pretty good, all things considered," Steve answers. "Kali finally agreed to testify against Mahelona. He's just been moved to the safe house. He's got four officers with him around the clock until we find Mahelona."

Chin's face is resolute as he nods slightly. "We'll find him."

Kono leans forward, intense. "Damn straight," she says, confidence ringing sharply in her tone.

Steve smiles quietly to himself. Damn, he loves his team. After the thwarted Mahelona bust, Chin had started in on interrogating Kali right alongside Steve. He'd stepped in without being asked. Ever intuitive, he'd just known that Danny would not be up to the task considering…Just, considering.

It's as though Chin has read his mind. "How's Danny these days?" he asks soberly, and beside him Kono's expression has suddenly turned serious.

Steve flicks a quick glance to make sure Danny is still at the bar before he shakes his head and answers. "He refuses to talk about it; he shuts me down whenever I bring it up."

Chin nods, not looking at all surprised. He remembers the very next day after the bust and subsequent death of little Ewa, and how Danny had walked into Five-O headquarters whistling a light tune, carrying coffees for the team, perky and glib. One look at Steve was all Chin had needed for proof of his suspicion: Danny was not dealing with it, wasn't processing it.

Later that same day, Chin had tried to pull Danny aside under the guise of discussing some missing paperwork on an old case file. At least, he'd thought his subterfuge was effective but Danny was too sharp and wouldn't have it.

"Chin," Danny had growled, "your hand is on my elbow. Please tell me that this untoward touching is just some sort of personal space blunder on your part and that you're not about to try for some sort of ridiculous heart to heart, here. Because that would warrant a punch in the face, and I really think we would both dislike that very much. Are we clear?"

Danny's posture had gone stiff, defensive, and Chin was left with little recourse but to drop his hand and step aside.

"Yeah, Danny. We're clear."

"Glad to hear it," Williams said simply and brushed past Kelly, who caught eye contact with Steve on the other side of the room. All he could do was shrug minutely, palms out, as if to say _I tried,_ and McGarrett gave a nearly imperceptible nod before turning back to his work at hand, but the slouch in his shoulders was impossible to miss.

So Danny had continued on every day as though nothing was amiss. They kept on about their daily duties, working on both old and new cases. Mahelona's been in their sights for some time now, and that deal with Kamaka would have been the clincher if it had gone down the way they'd wanted it to. But Mahelona was smart; there weren't even any guns on the premises to seize after he had absconded. Kamaka was still pretty small time, so in retrospect it made sense that Mahelona wouldn't allow himself to be under the same roof with contraband and with anyone who was anything less than a serious, seasoned professional. Most likely, Mahelona was merely taking the time to size Kamaka up, to make sure he was even someone he would do business with. Now that Mahelona knows just how close Five-0 had been to catching him, Steve and the rest of the team know it could be a long time before he slips up somewhere along the line and appears on their radar again.

Steve and his team are going to make damn sure they're right there when that happens.

The Lieutenant Commander is jarred out of his thoughts as Danny slaps a drink in front of him with a flourish. "Here ya go, babe," the detective smirks as he passes beers to Chin and Kono, leaving Steve to pick out the half a dozen miniature umbrellas and toothpicks jammed with maraschino cherries and pineapple wedges. Steve raises an eyebrow, and is about to comment on the overkill when his phone vibrates in his cargo pants pocket. Taking the device out, he frowns when he sees the name on the incoming call.

Danny doesn't fail to notice Steve's expression. "What?" the detective asks. "Governor again? The woman just can't let you have a night off, can she?"

Steve flicks a glance up at his partner but doesn't respond. Instead, he pushes away from the table, only answering the call once he's put some distance between himself and the others. Trepidation, sure and insidious, creeps up his spine.

"McGarrett," he says as he puts his phone to his ear. There's a brief pause, and then a softly accented voice speaks on the other end of the line.

"Commander McGarrett?"

"Rachel. Is everything okay?" Steve grips the phone just a little tighter. This is the first time Rachel has ever actually phoned Steve, and the Lieutenant Commander immediately begins fearing the worst. "Is Grace-?"

"Grace is fine," Rachel cuts in quickly. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Commander. I just…I needed to speak with you. Danny isn't there with you, is he?"

Steve frowns again and shoots a furtive glance over his shoulder. "He can't hear me," he assures Danny's ex-wife. "Rachel, what's going on?"

There's another pause, and Steve can sense that Rachel is struggling with how exactly to proceed from here. "Well, actually," she begins hesitantly. "I wanted to call and ask you for a personal favor."

Steve is glad his back is facing Danny. He knows that if he looked half as surprised as he felt the detective would be standing at his side in a heartbeat. He's about to ask what Rachel could possibly need that he could provide, considering that he hardly knows her, but she cuts him off before he gets the words out.

"It's more of a personal favor for Grace, really," she explains hurriedly, as though realizing how awkward the conversation has become. "She's worried about her father," Rachel's lilting, soft voice is faintly tremulous. "And I must admit…I am too."

Steve feels the earlier trepidation that had been crawling up his spine settle deep within him and start gnawing on his stomach. He can't keep the concern out of his voice.

"What's going on with Danny?"

Rachel is silent for a swift beat, but when the words come out they are tinged with annoyance. "You ought to know, Commander, considering all of the overtime you have him doing."

Steve can't stop himself from turning and throwing a quick look at Danny behind him. The detective is boisterous as always, his hands gesturing expressively. Whatever he's saying, he's making Kono laugh. When Danny looks up his eyes briefly meet Steve's, and the Lieutenant Commander abruptly breaks off the contact by turning away again. He plugs his other ear and whispers harshly, "I'm sorry, Rachel, but I have no idea what you're talking about right now."

"The overnight stakeouts, Commander?" Rachel rebuts crisply. "Every weekend for how many weeks now? I'm aware of how much their weekends together mean to Grace and her father, and these days they're lucky if they get three hours before he has to go back to work. And Grace frets for him for the rest of the night. It's tying her up in knots. Surely there must be someone else that can accompany you besides Daniel, even if it's just once in a while?"

Steve cuts himself off before he tells Rachel for the second time that he doesn't know what she's talking about. He swallows his words, snaps his jaw shut and looks back over at Danny again, keeping his face careful and neutral. Danny meets his eye instantly, raising his eyebrows quizzically and imitates holding a phone to his ear as he shrugs. Steve makes a shooing motion with his hand at his partner before taking yet another few paces further away from the team.

He won't participate outright in whatever lie Danny is spinning to Rachel, but he will certainly obfuscate until he can get some answers out of his partner as to what the hell is going on.

"Yes, of course, Rachel," he tells Danny's ex-wife, smoothing his voice into an apologetic tone. "I'm very sorry about all this. I guess I trust Danny to tell me when something's wrong, and I don't want the job to come between him and Grace. I'll see what I can do on my end of things."

The tension drains out of Rachel's tone, and Steve can almost hear her relaxing. "Thank you, Steven," she says, mollified.

"No problem at all," Steve assures her. "Give Grace a hug for me." He ends the call and turns to look at Danny, who is once again deeply immersed in some sort of debate with the cousins. His face is as animated as his hands, giving no indication of any sort of personal trouble, and Steve hears his own words echoing back at him.

_I guess I trust Danny to tell me when something's wrong._

Steve sets his jaw and walks stiffly back to the table, resolved to deal with this matter at the very next convenient –and private- opportunity.


	3. Chapter 3

I fail at updating. I'm sorry. I appreciate everyone that's hung in there. Thank you so very much for reading this.

There is action to come, I swear.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

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><p>Contrary to what Danny may say, Steve is a patient man. He is perfectly capable of biding his time, of employing discretion and discipline. True, treading lightly has never been his style, but Steve also happens to be a results-driven man. Sometimes, doors simply <em>must<em> be kicked down and people _need_ to be dangled over buildings, and if the end justifies the means Steve is more than willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

This thing with Danny, however, requires a much more subtle approach. Steve is fully aware of this. If there's one thing that recent past weeks have demonstrated it's that the Lieutenant Commander's partner is fully prepared to keep going on like how he is, to continue on with this pretense that he's unaffected by young Ewa's death when it's clear that this whole Mahelona case has gotten under his skin. Steve's not an idiot; or at least no bigger an idiot than Danny if the detective thinks he's got his partner fooled. And while Steve may be more than a little tempted to force him into taking some time off, he knows such a move would be futile. More than likely, Danny would consider such an action a personal affront, a lack of confidence in his ability to get the job done. That's exactly how he'd seen it when the shit had hit the fan and Steve had first put the offer on the table, and McGarrett knows with absolute certainty that Danny's opinion still hasn't changed on the matter.

So Steve is quite willing to quietly sidestep any potential confrontation in the making and take the high road with this. He won't force his partner into talking to him.

But blackmail? An entirely different story altogether.

Steve can't help but smile a little at himself when he pulls up to Grace's school. It's early yet but he doesn't mind. He settles back and waits; he knows it won't be long.

Sure enough, there's a knock on his window less than fifteen minutes later.

He rolls down his window with a cheery grin as he faces a surly-faced Danny.

"Danno," Steve greets heartily. "You made it here in good time."

Danny grits his teeth upon hearing his partner use Grace's nickname for him, but he recovers quickly. "Steven, just what exactly are you doing at my daughter's school, on a Friday, otherwise known as my weekend with her?" The detective's voice is clipped with annoyance. "And don't feed me any crap, or so help me God-"

"Danno!"

Danny turns around at the voice, a wide grin on his face, body language instantly changing from stiff to welcoming as he drops to one knee and opens his arms to engulf his daughter as she rushes up to him. Grace is likewise beaming, obviously excited to see her father.

"Monkey," Danny says warmly, planting a kiss on the top her head. "I missed you so much!" He ruffles her hair softly and then smoothes it back down again, tucking an errant strand behind her ear. His smile is for her alone.

Steve can't quell the warmth that he feels spread in his chest at the sight of his partner doting on his daughter. He gets out of his truck, smiling, and Grace looks up.

"Uncle Steve!" she exclaims, happy. "You came too?"

"You bet I did, Gracie," he says and bends down to give Danny's daughter a hug of his own. It's not often Steve gets to spend time with children, and seeing his partner with Grace tugs at something within him, makes him wonder if fatherhood is something that will ever happen to him one day. He never used to think about these kinds of things, he realizes.

He doesn't mind that he does now, sometimes.

Danny has changed Steve's life in more than a couple ways since he'd roped the detective into becoming his partner. His daughter has left no less of an imprint, even if it's something he's never admitted to. He's pretty sure Danny can tell, anyway. He knows his daughter better than anyone, after all. If anyone can tell how special Grace is, it's her father.

Danny straightens up, lays his hand on Grace's shoulder. She looks up at her father expectantly. "Yes, honey," Danny says. "Steve came, too. Left the office early and everything, not a word to anyone. What a surprise, right?" The detective shoots his partner a meaningful look, one that his daughter can't see. "Just to say a quick hi to you, but Steve's a very busy man-"

"Danny," Steve teases, cutting him off. "I can't believe you'd forget about our plans for this weekend." He hunkers down and stoops eye level with Grace, winking. "I bet you'd like to hear about them."

Grace looks up at Danny with hope, sliding her hand into his. "Does this mean you're not working this weekend, then?"

Danny opens his mouth, but Steve steps in once again.

"You bet, Grace," he tells her. "How would you like it if you and Danno were to spend the weekend at my place? I have a stack of movies, about ten pounds of popcorn, and a freezer full of ice cream. And there is no possible way I can eat all of it myself."

Grace is practically bouncing on her toes as she stares at her father beseechingly. "Can we? Please?" she implores.

Danny starts to shake his head. "Grace, I'm sure Steve is very busy, and-"

"Oh, no. I'm not busy too busy at all," Steve says smoothly. "I mean, what with all the overtime we've been putting in over these past weekends and all, I'd actually say we're ahead of schedule. Wouldn't you, Danno?"

McGarrett's tone is light, but his voice is couched with meaning. Danny darts a quick glance at him before glancing away, blanching slightly.

"Come on, partner," Steve cajoles. "Don't make a liar out of me."

The words are like a punch, packed with insinuation, and Danny swallows and looks back down at his daughter, who is still pleading with her eyes. He sighs a little but the smile is carefully arranged back on his face.

"You have your weekend bag, honey?"

Grace holds up her Barbie backpack. She's so excited she has to visibly bite her tongue while she waits for her father's verdict. Finally, Danny nods. "Okay, looks like we'll be moving the slumber party to Uncle Steve's." Grace lets out an excited squeal as she throws her arms around Danny's waist before skipping ahead to the Camaro, leaving Steve and Danny in her wake as they follow after her.

"Okay, Steven, what is this?" Danny asks his partner in a low tone, keeping his eyes on Grace as they walk.

Steve shrugs noncommittally. "Consider it a thank you for all those extra hours you've been putting in on those stakeouts with me these last few weekends."

Danny sighs again, louder. When he speaks, he sounds resigned. "You've been talking to Rachel." It's not a question. "You had no right to go behind my back like that and talk to my ex-wife. You know that, right?"

Steve shakes his head. "I did no such thing but thanks for the assumption, all the same. She called _me_, Danno."

"Stop calling me-"

McGarrett cuts him off by stopping in his tracks and grabbing Danny's elbow. "No," he hisses, forceful but low enough to keep Grace from overhearing. "_You_ stop, Danny. Stop lying to cover your tracks. I don't know what this is that you're doing, but you're worrying your daughter, worrying Rachel." He pauses for a brief second. "Not to mention your team."

Danny's face goes hard, his gaze stony. "You still had no right to come here like this," he growls, jerking his arm out of Steve's grasp. "Contrary to what you believe, this isn't your business, Steven."

"It is when I'm getting calls from Rachel, nearly in tears," Steve retorts, unable to keep the bite out of his tone. "I know that you're hardly seeing Grace these days, that you're blowing off your weekends with her. When you implicate your own partner in the lies you're telling your ex and your daughter, it _becomes _my business, Danny. I don't know what the hell is going on with you." He cocks his head. "Actually, yes, I do. And come Monday, we're going to deal with this once and for all. But for now, we're going to have a nice weekend with Grace, even if it means I have to keep you both in my sights just to make sure you don't bail on her."

Danny is furious, and he leans closer to his partner. The look on his face is damn near dangerous.

"Don't you _ever _accuse me of bailing on my daughter again."

With that, the detective turns and stalks to the Camaro and his waiting daughter. "We'll see you at your house, Steven," he says over his shoulder. "You can tail me if you're worried that I'm a flight risk."

Steve briefly considers it.

* * *

><p>As far as evenings spent in the company of a lovely female go, this one rates pretty damn high in Steve's books. This is, of course, in spite of the fact he is not accustomed to that company being an eight-year-old girl. In fact, he is much more familiar with an entirely different type of female company altogether.<p>

This doesn't stop him from smiling, watching Grace as she doggedly attempts to toss kernels of popcorn into her father's open mouth. The tension from earlier had quickly drained away as the evening progressed, the infectious enthusiasm and joy effused by the eight year old diffusing the hard feelings between the partners.

"Now Steven," Danny turns to his partner, talking around a freshly thrown piece of popcorn he's caught in his mouth. "Did you know that Grace here has been training with the Nets?" He points at his face as he chews. "How else can she get in so many shots in a row?"

"It's because your mouth's so big," Grace giggles, then squeals as her father wiggles his fingers, menacing.

"Oh, really? Is that a fact?" he asks as he laughs and tickles her, narrowly avoiding her wildly kicking feet. Grace shrieks with delight. Peals of girlish laughter fill Steve's living room, making the place seem more alive than it's been in a long, long time.

Steve turns his gaze back to the tv screen, blinking quickly, and if his eyes are stinging just a little Danny doesn't call him on it.

* * *

><p>Danny's snoring by the time the movie is over, a nearly full beer bottle held loosely in one hand, perched precariously on his thigh. Steve reaches out and gingerly plucks the bottle out of peril, half expecting his partner to wake up and tell him to get his ass up and get his own beer. Danny doesn't though, doesn't even so much as stir as he sleeps on.<p>

Steve looks at Grace and winks conspiratorially at her. "What do you think, Grace? Is it past the old man's bedtime? Should we send him off to bed?"

Grace considers it sagely but shakes her head, hair swinging.

"Nah," she says with a smile. "He looks comfy. Let's leave him." She adjusts the blanket she and Danny are sharing, pulling it higher up on her father's lap. Steve gets up and turns out the only lamp on in the room, then detours into the kitchen. He returns a few minutes later, bearing a fresh bowl of popcorn and a can of soda. He offers the beverage to Grace, who eyes it with longing.

"Danno doesn't let me drink soda after dinner," she says a little morosely. "He says it'll make my teeth fall out and stunt my growth."

"Well then, I guess it's a good thing that Danno's rules don't apply in my house," Steve tells Grace with a mischievous smirk. "So I think we've outvoted him. Besides, what he doesn't know won't hurt him." He flicks a glance over at his slumbering partner, tilting his head in that direction for emphasis as he opens the can and offers it again to Grace. She doesn't need any further encouragement to take it this time.

Steve settles back, Danny's beer now claimed as his own. "So what's next on the agenda?" he asks. "Madagascar? Or Toy Story 2?"

Grace mulls it over for a few moments, undecided. "What time is bedtime?" she finally asks.

Steve grins, knowing what she's going to suggest. _Smart kid._

"Whenever you want, Gracie. You're the one calling the shots."

This pleases Grace immensely. "Then…both?"

"You got it, boss."

* * *

><p>Not even halfway into the second movie, Steve is carrying a sleeping Grace up the stairs to the guest room. When he tucks her in and settles her favorite stuffed animal – a purple lion with one of its button eyes missing – under her arm, Grace murmurs in her sleep a little. As he draws the blankets up over her shoulders, her voice is whisper-soft.<p>

"Good night, Uncle Steve."

Steve smoothes her hair back gently, smiling to himself.

It sure was.

* * *

><p>It's not quite three in the morning when Danny starts screaming bloody murder. Steve bolts upright and is out of the bed and down the stairs before he even registers that he's holding his gun in his hand. It's an involuntary reaction, and a needless one it turns out because Danny's yelling in his sleep, not being attacked. It's a nightmare, and a rather vicious one by the sounds of it.<p>

Steve's down on his knees beside the couch in less than a second, trying to get a firm grip on his partner's flailing limbs.

"Danny. Danny, wake up!"

"Stop! Stop shooting!" Danny keeps screaming, oblivious to his partner's presence. One fist gets free from Steve's grasp and strikes a glancing blow on his chin. The punch is uncoordinated and loose but it catches the Lieutenant Commander off guard, throwing him back on his haunches momentarily. It's then, when Steve is blinking the small bursts of light out of his field of vision, that he hears Grace's terrified voice.

"Danno!" she cries, and suddenly she's right there throwing her arms around her father's neck before Steve can even think to stop her. Whether it's the sound of her voice or the feel of her arms around Danny that does the trick Steve isn't sure, but it works like a bucket of ice water. Danny suddenly goes completely still, panting a little. The expression on his face goes from confused to mortified before he sits himself up in a hurry.

"Grace?" he asks, voice a little breathy. "What's wrong, Monkey? Everything okay?"

"You were having a bad dream," Grace tells him somberly. "Are _you _okay? It sounded scary."

Danny is quiet a moment, but he runs his hand through his hair. Steve recognizes the gesture as the giveaway it is: Danny's agitated, distressed. The detective is fast at pulling it together, however, and thankfully in time before his daughter can pick up on it. Quick as a thought, Danny's smiling at his daughter as he takes one of her hands and playfully swings it just a tiny bit.

He ducks his head so that he's eye level with Grace. "Hey," he says softly, draws her in and kisses the top of her head. "Danno's fine, honey. Danno's just fine. I'm sorry I woke you up. Come on, let's get you back upstairs and into bed." He throws off the blanket Grace had carefully arranged over him earlier and moves to get up, but Steve reaches out and gives him a firm and very meaningful pat on the shoulder.

"What, and rob me of my duties as Uncle Steve?" he chides. "Unless you think I'm not worthy of tucking your daughter back into bed?"

Danny ticks an eyebrow, a corner of his mouth turning up in appreciation. He looks over at his Grace, adopting a serious expression and lowering his voice to match. "I don't know, honey. What do you think? I'll let you be the judge of that."

Grace looks up at Steve, uncertainty clouding her eyes. She's obviously torn, so Steve makes it easy for her by sweeping her up in his arms with a wide, disarming smile. "Come on, Gracie," he teases lightly. "I thought we were having such a good time together. Don't make me drag you by force, now." With that, he swings her over his shoulder and Gracie lets out a little squeal of delight as Steve pretends to laugh maniacally. He treks up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Steve's demeanor instantly changes from playful to quiet as he carries her to the guest room and carefully lowers her off his shoulder and into the bed. Pulling up the covers over her, he gives her a reassuring grin.

"Now sleep tight. Okay, Grace?"

Grace nods; the humor has left her expression. "Uncle Steve?" she asks, timid. "Will you give this to Danno?" She holds out her stuffed animal. "It helps me when I have bad dreams."

Steve takes the lion, nodding gently. "That's very nice of you, Gracie. I'm sure your dad will appreciate it."

Danny's daughter suddenly looks older and wiser than her scant eight years. She looks up at Steve with a quiet, complete trust, her eyes clear and guileless. It twists his gut just a little bit to think she has such confidence in him.

"I'm glad you're here to look after him," she tells Steve in a whispery voice before she rolls over and closes her eyes.

Grace drops off to sleep right away, leaving Steve to stand there and reflect on the gravity of her words.

* * *

><p>Danny is sitting up on the couch, hands rubbing his face wearily, blanket askew around his feet. Steve takes a seat next to him but is careful to sit at the furthest edge of the couch in an effort to leave the detective some breathing room. From there, Steve simply clasps his hands and leans forward, gazing at the darkness that peeps between the partially drawn curtains of his living room window.<p>

It's a brief silence only, because before long Danny's looking over at Steve ruefully. "So," he begins, voice wry. "I'm sure you can guess why I've been on so many stakeouts lately." He twists his mouth into a bitter smile at the blatant mention of his cover story, shaking his head. "When given the choice between _bailing_ on my child or waking her up in the dead of night with my screaming – which is incredibly emasculating, I can now add from experience, thanks to you – I will generally go for door number one."

Steve flinches at the clear incrimination in Danny's words as the detective flings the Lieutenant Commander's earlier accusation back in his face, and he looks over to his partner in earnest apology. "Danny, I didn't mean any harm by any of this."

"No," Danny says flatly. "You took it on yourself to supervise me being a parent to my daughter. You babysat me, Steve. But you didn't mean any harm, of course not." He shrugs. "Although, I would have vastly preferred it if you could have trusted that I always –and I mean _always- _keep my daughter's best interests at heart. Or maybe if you would have just come out and _asked _me what was going on after you talked to Rachel-"

Steve cuts Danny off before he can even finish the sentence.

"No, Danny. I couldn't have asked you. You've been a little tight-lipped these past few weeks. You know that, don't you? I mean, the other night when Rachel called me? When we were at the bar? I think that's the closest you've been to being yourself since the Mahelona bust," he pauses, swallowing. "Since the shooting."

Danny glances at Steve out of the corner of his eye, and McGarrett knows that his partner won't even try to dispute him on that point. The detective doesn't say anything, which Steve takes as tacit consent to continue. He forges on, tentative but firm. "And for the record, getting a phone call from your partner's ex-wife, in distress, is a little unnerving. So you're welcome that I didn't blow your cover on you right there on the spot. Furthermore, you implicated me in your little fabrication, so you got me involved first." Steve pauses for a moment, gauging Danny's reaction, expecting him to balk at his words. The detective surprises him by shifting his gaze to the floor, the fire leeching right out of him, leaving him slouched and wan. Steve shifts, sitting so he's facing Danny a little more.

"Danny, you may think that I orchestrated this weekend as a means of babysitting you, but in fact I did it so that I could have your back. You do know that, don't you? That I've got your back on this? Chin and Kono…we all do."

Steve's partner looks both repentant and humbled, which isn't a sight he's used to seeing. He decides to push his luck a little further. "Okay, so now I understand why you aren't eager to have Grace spending the night at your place these days. But just how have you been having these nightmares?" _Because God, they sound horrific._

Danny chuckles roughly, seeming to deflate a little. "Every night for, ah, I'd say about the last forty five nights sounds about right. Coffee is a miraculous thing."

Steve's chest constricts in sympathy for his partner. He knows that Danny was decimated that day, being so close but not close enough to do anything for Ewa. Thinking about it still wrenches him.

He doesn't doubt that the detective is absolutely heartbroken over it.

"There was nothing you could have done, Danny," he says, giving voice to his thoughts.

Danny slumps a little before he responds. He looks tired, drawn out. "Maybe not," he says without much conviction. He sniffs and takes a shuddery breath before he meets eyes with Steve. His expression softens. "So am I to take it this is you apologizing for giving away my big secret?"

The detective's smile is tenuous and wavers just a little, but it gives Steve an inexplicable rush of relief. He offers Danny a grin of his own. "Whatever gets you through the day, partner," he tells him. "And Danny?"

"Hmm?"

"We'll get Mahelona, you know. We'll finish it."

If Danny takes any comfort from Steve's conviction, he doesn't show it. His expression is impossible to read, but his stare is open and honest, mildly implacable.

"Of that I have no doubt, Steven," he assures McGarrett. "But that doesn't bring a dead girl back to life."

* * *

><p>The rest of the weekend passes without any further incident. Danny makes sure of this by setting his alarm on his phone to wake him once every hour for the next two nights Grace is with him. Sure, he's so tired he's practically dragging his feet but it's a measure worth taking. All it takes is a couple more cups of coffee under his belt, and if Grace is none the wiser for any of it then it's a good deal for Danny. For his part, Steve is an excellent host and he keeps Grace happily entertained and has no problem diverting her attention when her father's energy begins to flag.<p>

Throughout the rest of the weekend, Steve is happy to note, Danny's spirits remain up. He really hopes this means Danny's turned a corner.

On the drive to Grace's school that Monday morning, Steve behind the wheel of Danny's Camaro, it really does look like the detective has indeed done just that. Danny's relaxed in the passenger seat, looking back at his daughter in the backseat, beaming hugely. Steve feels any tension in his neck and shoulders melt away at the sound of them laughing together. Outside, it's another perfect Hawaiian morning in Oahu. The sun is shining, the traffic is surprisingly light, and the Lieutenant Commander would be perfectly happy to let this moment stretch out for as long as he possibly can. He eases off on the gas, earning a pointed sideways glance from his partner.

"Steven," he says as he eyeballs the speedometer. "I don't think I've ever seen you drive the legal limit."

Steve shoots an incredulous glare. "You think I'd actually speed with your daughter in the car?"

Danny throws his hands up. "What? I'm just stating an observation of a very rare event." Grace giggles in the backseat, and Steve catches her eye in the rearview mirror. Even as he does so, Danny's cell phone rings. He glances at the name of the incoming caller flashing on the screen before he lifts it to his ear.

"Chin Ho," he greets. The smile on Danny's face disappears the following moment, and a frown begins to crease his forehead. "Are you sure?" the detective demands, then listens for another beat. He's suddenly intense and focused, and Steve feels the adrenaline already kicking in, because his partner's jaw is clenched and his face is stormy.

"We're on our way," Danny barks into the phone, catching Steve's eye meaningfully as he hangs up. Steve responds by pressing down harder on the accelerator, because he's just been given implicit permission to speed.

"What's going on?" Steve asks sharply, adjusting his hold on the steering wheel slightly.

"It's Grace's school," Danny answers. "There's been an attack. Kono's meeting us there; Chin is on his way to the safehouse Kali's being held at. He wants to talk to Chin, and he's made it pretty clear it has to do with this."

Steve flicks another glance in the rearview mirror at Grace in the backseat. She's looking at her father, wide-eyed and fearful.

"Danno?" she asks in a high, soft voice.

Danny immediately twists around in the passenger seat so he can fix his daughter with a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, Monkey," he says in an encouraging tone. "We have to check this out, but I promise you'll be safe, alright?"

Grace nods, her lower lip trembling just a little.

Steve exhales slowly through his nose.

There goes that perfect Oahu morning.


End file.
